Orange County Community Action Division Svc… · management, employment counseling, and provision of tuition and financial support to assist individuals in attending vocational education

Orange County Community

Action

Page 1 of 41

2020-2023

Orange County Community Action Division

Community Needs Assessment

COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Orange County Community Action Page 2 of 41

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................................................. 2

List of Tables ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

List of Figures ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................................................................. 4

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 5

Community Action Division Profile .......................................................................................................................................... 5

Rationale for a Comprehensive Needs Assessment .......................................................................................................... 6

Root Causes and Conditions of Poverty ................................................................................................................................. 7

Key Sector Engagement ................................................................................................................................................................ 8

Methodology ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Community Demographic & Statistical Profile ...................................................................................................................... 10

Community Action Division Service Area ........................................................................................................................... 11

Population of Orange County ...................................................................................................................................................... 11

Housing ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 12

Education and economic characteristics .................................................................................................................................. 14

Characteristics of Children’s Social and Physical Health Status ...................................................................................... 16

Poverty in orange county ............................................................................................................................................................... 18

Persons living at 125% of the Federal Poverty guideline .................................................................................................. 19

Health characteristics ....................................................................................................................................................................... 23

Data from orange county community action clients .......................................................................................................... 25

Community Assessment of Poverty Needs and Conditions ........................................................................................ 29

Community Assessment by Geographic Area Served ........................................................................................................ 30



Distressed Community Index ........................................................................................................................................................ 30

Needs and Services ........................................................................................................................................................................... 37

United Way 211 Data ....................................................................................................................................................................... 37

Community Input .............................................................................................................................................................................. 37

Key Stakeholder Interviews ...................................................................................................................................................... 37

Strategic Plan Internal and External Analysis .................................................................................................................... 40

Appendices .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 41

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Census Demographic Estimates ................................................................................................................................. 11

Table 2. Housing and Living Characteristics ........................................................................................................................... 13

Table 3. Socioeconomic Characteristics ................................................................................................................................... 15

Table 4. Characteristics of Children’s Social and Physical Health Status ..................................................................... 16

Table 5. Poverty Characteristics ................................................................................................................................................... 18

Table 6. Selected Social, Economic, and Demographic Characteristics of persons below 125% FPL .............. 21

Table 7. Health Characteristics ..................................................................................................................................................... 24

Table 8. Client Individual Characteristics .................................................................................................................................. 26

Table 9. Client Individual Characteristics .................................................................................................................................. 27

Table 10. Distressed Communities Index, 2012-2016 ......................................................................................................... 33

Table 11. Distressed Communities Index, 2007-2011 ......................................................................................................... 34

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Community Action Community Centers................................................................................................................ 32



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This Community Needs Assessment was commissioned on behalf of the Orange County

Community Action Division and represents a comprehensive review of public health, public

administration, and education data from a variety of local, state, and national data sources.

This assessment is meant to inform strategic planning and the tailoring of services to address the

economic needs of Orange County citizens, prioritizing those who live below the federal poverty

level (FPL). As a result, a variety of data sources were analyzed for this assessment including that

from local community organizations, key stakeholders, other county divisions, and state, and

federal sources. This assessment serves as a guide to the Community Action Board and the

Community Action Division as they work together to strengthen existing economic self-sufficiency

programs and services, and plan future interventions and services for disadvantaged residents.

In recognizing how economic self-sufficiency is determined by social, environmental, physical, and

financial factors, this needs assessment includes elements from each of those domains in

describing the total needs of the community on the causal pathway to self-sufficiency.

As was true during the last assessment period, the Distressed Community Index reflected and

confirmed that geographic regions with community action centers had higher level of distress

than the County overall. For example, the Distressed Index Score for Orange county has reduced

dramatically to 19.1, but the Holden Heights zip code Distress Score is 91.8 – the highest in the

area. While Orange County is ranked “prosperous” on the Distress Tier scale, two Community

Action Service Centers are in areas that are considered “distressed,” and three centers are located

in “at risk” areas.

Housing remains the number one need sought by residents, and the Orange County Needs

Assessment on Housing determined that housing challenges are more prevalent among income

constrained residents who rent. While 55% of Orange County residents own their homes, only

18% of Community Action clients own their home. The median cost of a mortgage in Orange



County is $50 cheaper than the national average, but the average cost of rent is $127 higher –

even though median household incomes in Orange County are over $6,000 less than the national

average.

Despite the challenges that persist, several services needed in the community are already

occurring within the Community Action Division, or a partnership is planned for the commission

of such services. Additionally, services that were identified in the previous needs assessment (GED

and ESOL classes, computer classes, and financial literacy workshops), have been implemented in

the Division. The Family Self-Sufficiency program, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance

Program (LIHEAP), and the Weatherization Program (WAP) will also continue to serve the

community on the causal pathway to self-sufficiency.

INTRODUCTION

COMMUNITY ACTION DIVISION PROFILE

The Community Action Division (CAD) became a public agency under the Orange County Board

of County Commissioners (BCC) in 1969 and became a County division in 2001. The Division

provides a range of services designed to assist low-income individuals and families to acquire

skills and competencies necessary to obtain employment and to achieve economic self-

sufficiency. The Division’s mission is to enhance quality of life by promoting self-sufficiency and

eliminating the causes and consequences of poverty; this is achieved by mobilizing and directing

socioeconomic resources, collaboration and partnership, and by providing high-quality, easily

accessible programs and services. The Division’s vision is “to help individuals and families achieve

economic self-sufficiency by leveraging partnerships that produce a range of culturally-

competent, accessible, high-quality services to meet the needs of a diverse community.” The

Division is funded by a Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) and the Orange County Board of

County Commissioners – which serves as its governing board. In addition to the BCC, a tripartite



board consisting of elected public officials, private sector representatives, and representatives of

low-income populations provide oversite and accountability to the Division.

The County also funds seven community service centers located strategically in low-income

neighborhoods; each of these centers are fully operated by the Division. These centers serve as a

focal point in the community and house a number of different activities and services. Each center

includes meeting rooms and a computer lab that is open to the public. Services are provided to

the public by staff and by partner agencies. These services differ from center to center but include

youth activities; senior activities such as exercise, sewing classes, and congregate meals; health

and community fairs including back-to-school, job, and college fairs; community gardens; after-

school food for children; and onsite programs to address substance abuse, domestic violence, and

other similar challenges.

Through CSBG funding, the Division operates a family self-sufficiency program consisting of case

management, employment counseling, and provision of tuition and financial support to assist

individuals in attending vocational education programs. There are community services workers

located in four quadrants of the County — East Orange County, Taft, Pine Hills and Apopka. Other

areas with community centers are the Mercy Drive area, Holden Heights, and Winter

Garden/Ocoee. Centers operated by other County divisions and/or community partners include

Bithlo, Zellwood, Southwood, and the Raleigh Street area.

RATIONALE FOR A COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Community action agencies are mandated to conduct a community assessment as required by

the CSBG Act – Section 676(b) (11): “an assurance that the State will secure from each eligible

entity in the State… a community action plan…that includes a community-needs assessment for

the community served, which may be coordinated with community-needs assessments conducted

for other programs…”



Community action agencies are directed to base their plan on a complete analysis of the

community-wide conditions in order to address verified and urgent local needs. Consideration is

given to the areas of greatest community need, the availability of resources, and the division’s

own strengths and limitations. The subject of the assessment is not only the community’s needs

but also its resources or assets. In addition, an assessment of both of the community actions

agency’s strengths (assets) and of its organizational limitations (needs) is mandated.

Additionally, as outlined in the Community Action Partnership’s Technical Assistance guide, local

control of Federal CSBG resources is predicated on regular comprehensive community needs

assessments that take into account the breadth of community needs as well as the partners and

resources available in a community to meet these needs.

ROOT CAUSES AND CONDITIONS OF POVERTY

The scientific literature identifies the root causes of poverty as a varied combination of personal

and systemic factors. These factors including individual choices, community conditions, the

systematic oppression and exploitation of women and minority groups, and political and



economic structures. While Orange County Government and many municipalities around the

United States have established programs and services to mediate and eliminate the causes and

consequences of poverty, there still remains much work to do. The National Academy of Sciences

defines poverty as economic deprivation: a lack of resources needed to obtain basic goods and

services. In Orange County, Florida, the living conditions of individuals with low resources put

them at risk biologically, psychologically, and socially. Resources include access to not only

financial capital, but also social, health, and human capital. Community sustainability is achieved

through individual, organizational, and community-level action, as well as policy changes.

KEY SECTOR ENGAGEMENT

Partners from 1) private, 2) non-profit, 3) faith based, 4) education, and 5) community sectors

provide an array of services to assist the Division in achieving its performance indicators, which

are linked to national goals. The Division currently has over 100 formal and informal partners who

provide a variety of services. Some of these partners occupy space at the community centers, and

some provide services through periodic onsite visits. Working closely with community partners is

a great way to leverage funding and bring services into the community that would otherwise not

exist. Working with partners also increases the diversity of activities and services available, and

creates strong bonds and a sense of ownership within the local community.

METHODOLOGY

The Division utilized the (1) Technical Assistance Guide developed by the Community Action

Partnership, (2) the Community Health Needs Assessment Guide published by Community

Commons, and (3) the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute’s County Health

Rankings Methodology to inform its needs assessment process. Several data sources were

referenced in the aforementioned guides to obtain comprehensive data. The comprehensive

assessment of community needs and resources as well as agency data informs the Division

strategic planning process and the annual Community Action Plan. This assessment is also the

first step in the Results Oriented Management and Accountability (ROMA) Cycle.



The Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) serves several purposes for community action

agencies. First, the assessment offers a focus on local conditions, analyzing the economic

opportunities and barriers for all residents who are at risk of remaining or becoming economically

insecure. CNAs identify existing and potential resources that inform opportunities for

collaboration and service delivery. Additionally, the CNA prepares the community action agency’s

leadership to plan a multi-year strategy by identifying and prioritizing unmet community needs.

The assessment and strategic planning processes require thinking about needs and resources in

a more comprehensive framework. The assessment equips community action leaders to adopt a

broad vision of the community’s future and to plan the Division’s role in leading change. This

process includes using data to:

1. Understand the depth and breadth of emerging and ongoing needs of economically

insecure residents in the community

2. Choose the role the organization will play in meeting some of those needs

3. Identify economic resources, social resources, and partnership opportunities in the

community that can help meet the needs

4. Identify significant public policy issues

5. Educate community residents and leaders about the identified needs and provide input

on policies and strategies

6. Explain to the community the rationale behind decisions to prioritize needs and allocate

resources

This CNA covers fiscal years 2020-2023 for Community Action in Orange County, Florida. This

assessment consists of information from several sources. Demographics and information on key

indicators in the community were obtained primarily from Community Commons, a reference

resource from the national Community Action Partnership. The Distressed Communities Index



produced by the Economic Innovation Group was also utilized, along with the U.S. Census Bureau's

2017 American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates (2018 data will not become until after this

report is due). The Distressed Communities Index provides data on economic indicators relating

to poverty and community distress by zip code, while the Community Commons data covers the

County as a whole. In addition, several sources of local information were used. Data from Heart

of Florida United Way 211 was used to help determine local community needs, and the needs

assessment conducted by the Housing and Community Development Division of Orange County

was utilized to determine housing needs in the county.

Direct inquiry was incorporated in several ways. A survey was conducted through interviews with

key informants in the community including the following sectors: community-based

organizations, faith-based organizations, private sector, public sector, and educational institutions

(See attached survey in the appendices). The department's Head Start Division also completed a

Community Assessment, which was referenced in completing this report. Finally, information on

clients was directly obtained via the case management software that the Division utilizes to track

all CSBG and LIHEAP services delivered.

COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHIC & STATISTICAL PROFILE

A profile of the County was obtained through the CNA tool available through the National

Community Action Partnership. Data for the reports originated through a partnership with

Community Commons. Data indicators included several socioeconomic and sociodemographic

characteristics including data on age, gender, race, poverty, housing, food security, violent crime,

nativity and citizenship, and certain indicators of health. Data included in this assessment are also

stratified by income (the general county versus those who income qualify for our services), center

location, and client status (Division client versus non-clients).



COMMUNITY ACTION DIVISION SERVICE AREA

POPULATION OF ORANGE COUNTY

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 estimate, the total population of Orange County,

Florida is 1,380,645. This is over 180,000 more residents than our last needs assessment estimate

in 2014, and just over 230,000 more residents since the 2010 Census. Since that 2010 Census,

while the United States population is estimated to have grown 6%, and the State of Florida has

grown 13%, the population of Orange County is estimated to have grown over 20%.

Similar to the United States and the State of Florida, Orange County is about half male and half

female. At present, there is no widely accepted estimate of residents who belong to a sexual and

gender minority available on Orange County, the State of Florida, and the United States. As such,

the data in this assessment are on biological sex only and not gender.

Orange County is slightly more racially and ethnically diverse than the State of Florida and the

United States, although about the same number of Orange County Residents are foreign born as

Florida residents. Proportionally, there are more veterans living in Orange County than in Florida

or the United States. Table 1 contains the demographic characteristics in this section for Orange

County, the State of Florida, and the United States.

Table 1. Census Demographic Estimates

Data Orange County Florida United States

Population density per sq. mile 1,268.5 350.6 87.4

Population Estimates

*2018 population estimate 1,380,645 21,299,325 327,167,434

2010 population estimate 1,145,954 18,804,580 308,758,105

Age and Sex Percent

Persons under 5 6.1 5.4 6.1




Persons aged 0-17 22.2 19.9 22.4

Persons aged 65+ 11.9 20.5 16.0

Female persons 50.9 51.1 50.8

Race and Hispanic Origin Percent

White 68.1 77.3 76.5

Black or African-American 22.7 16.9 13.4

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6 0.5 1.3

Asian 5.7 3.0 5.9

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific

Islander

0.2 0.1 0.2

Two or more races 2.7 2.2 2.7

Hispanic or Latino 32.3 26.1 18.3

Selected Population Characteristics

Foreign born persons (%) 20.7 20.2 13.4

Veterans 62,265 1,454,632 18,939,219

Data are from the 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5 year estimate unless otherwise stated

*Data are 2018 Census population estimates

HOUSING

Just over half of the houses in Orange County are occupied by persons who own their property;

this is less than the averages for Florida and the United States. The median value of these owner-

occupied units is $192,400 – similar to the United States, and almost $14,000 more than the

median home value in the State of Florida. On average, each household in Orange County is

occupied by 2-3 people. This is the same for the State of Florida and the United States.



Housing remains the number one need sought by residents, and the Orange County Needs

Assessment on Housing determined that housing challenges are more prevalent among income

constrained residents who rent. While 55% of Orange County residents own their homes, only

18% of Community Action clients own their home. The median cost of a mortgage in Orange

County is $50 cheaper than the national average, but the average cost of rent is $127 higher –

even though median household incomes in Orange County are over $6,000 less than the national

average. Approximately 40% of Orange County residents spend more than 30% of their income

housing.

Over 90% of Orange County residents report having a computer at home –more than the state

and national averages- but 83% report having a broadband internet connection (still higher than

the state and national averages). Over 35% of Orange County residents over the age of 5 speak a

language other than English at home – 7% more than in Florida and 14% more than the United

States. Housing and living characteristics for Orange County, the State of Florida, and the United

States are detailed in Table 2, and the Orange County Housing and Community Development

Division’s comprehensive housing needs assessment is contained in the appendix section of this

document.

Table 2. Housing and Living Characteristics


Housing Characteristics

Housing units (2018) 544,417 9,547,305 138,537,078

Owner-occupied units (%) 54.5 64.8 63.8

Median value of owner-occupied units $192,400 $178,700 $193,500

Median mortgage costs $1,465 $1,432 $1,515

Median rent costs $1,109 $1,077 $982

Percent of people who spend more

than 30% of their income on housing

39.7 36.1 -

https://www.orangecountyfl.net/Portals/0/resource%20library/neighbors%20-%20housing/2016-2020%20Orange%20County%20Consolidated%20Plan%20and%202016-2017%20Annual%20Action%20Plan.pdf




Living Arrangements

Persons per household 2.8 2.6 2.6

Living in the same house > 1 year

Language other than English spoken

at home (%)

35.3 28.7 21.3

Families with children under 18 (%) 33.2 27.3 -

Percentage of overcrowded housing

units

4.4 3.7 -

Percentage of housing with one or

more substandard conditions

40.1 36.7 -

Computer and Internet Use Percent

Households with a computer 91.8 88.1 87.2

Households with broadband internet 83.3 78.6 78.1

EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS

More Orange County residents over the age of 25 have a high school diploma and a college

degree than persons in Florida or the United States. The on-time graduation rate in Orange

County is more than 10% higher than in the State of Florida, and 4th graders in Orange County

perform just as well as the children in the State on reading proficiency exams. Nonetheless, the

sections to follow will detail that these positive outcomes do not persist among those who live in

poverty. Table 3 details education and economic characteristics of Orange County residents.



Table 3. Socioeconomic Characteristics


Education Characteristics Percent

Persons over 25 with a high school diploma 88.2 87.6 87.3

Persons over 25 with an associate’s degree 43.7 38.2 -

Persons over 25 with a bachelor’s degree or

higher

32.7 28.5 -

On-time graduation rate 79 68.9 -

Percentage of 4th graders who score “not

proficient” or worse in reading

43.0 43.9 -

Number of Head Start Programs 39 856 -

Head Start programs per 10,000 children

Selected Economic Characteristics

Percent of persons aged 16+ in the civilian labor

force

66.9 58.4 63.0

Percent of women aged 16+ in the civilian labor

force

62.0 54.1 58.2

*Unemployment rate (%) 3.1 3.3 3.7

Transportation

Mean travel time to work (mins) 27.6 27.0 26.4

Percent of the population using public transit to

commute to work

2.7 2 -

Business Characteristics

Number of women owner firms 52,067 807,817 9,878,397

Number of minority-owned businesses (2012) 63,938 926,112 7,952,386

*Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019 estimate



CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDREN’S SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH STATUS

As the Community Action Division’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program case manages the entire

household, it is important to also acknowledge that many of our families include children. While

children do not qualify as service recepients independent of their parents, we recognize that

persons in poverty who have children face unique challenges. Children who are raised in poverty

are also more likely to become adults living in poverty. Additionally, parents who have children

with special needs additional barriers, and this is especially true for parents with low-income. As

a result, the complete Head Start Division’s needs assessment is attached to this document in an

appendix, and key educational, economic, and behavioral data on children are provided in Table

4.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation also provides a data center on key childhood outcomes. The

Florida KIDS COUNT promotes the health and well-being of children and families by providing

data driven knowledge and consultation services focusing on data sources, policy research,

education, and community engagement. The following data are from the Florida KIDS COUNT

data book.

Table 4. Characteristics of Children’s Social and Physical Health Status

Data Orange County Florida

Population Under 18

Ages % 0-18 0-4 5-9 10-14 15-17

Population in 2017 23.1 304,021 84,127 83,491 85,033 51,370

Children Under 18 in Poverty

Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Percent 27.1 26.0 25.4 22.6 22.2 21.9

Number

74,437 71,808 71,168 64,759 65,087 65,440



Data Orange County Florida

Education Indicators

# % # %

Students eligible for free or reduced lunch 127,871 64.9 1,637,787 58.7

Disciplinary Actions

In school suspensions 10,849 198,882

Out of school suspensions 13,288 172,982

Placement in alternate education 891 7,182

School dropouts 326 29,060

Explanation of data:

Students eligible for free or reduced lunch: Children’s data on the number and percentage of

students who are eligible to participate in the free and reduced lunch program.

Section on Disciplinary Actions: Florida Department of Education has identified nine types of

disciplinary actions. More than one disciplinary action per student may have occurred during the

year. In-School Suspensions - the temporary removal of a student from the school program not

exceeding ten days. Out-of-School Suspensions - the temporary removal of a student from a

school and the school program for a period not exceeding ten days or extended beyond ten

school days pending School Board hearing for expulsion. Placement in Alternative Education

Setting - the student is removed from the school for an offense, not expelled, and placed in an

alternative education setting.

The number of public school students who withdraws from school for any reason cited in statute

without transferring to another school, home education program, or adult education program.

Dropout classifications used for data collection include, but are not limited to, voluntary

withdrawal from school prior to graduation (i.e., after passing the age of compulsory school

attendance), failure to meet attendance requirements due to excessive absenteeism, discontinued



attendance with whereabouts unknown, and failure to enter/attend school as expected after

having registered.

POVERTY IN ORANGE COUNTY

The 2019 Federal Poverty Guidelines specify that 100% of the poverty level consists of an annual

income of $12,490 for one person and $25,750 for a family of 4. Fifteen percent of Orange County

residents are at or below the federal poverty guideline. This is a higher rate of poverty than both

the state (14%) and the country (12%). The full Community Commons report in Appendix I

contains detailed statistical and demographic information for the County, and Table 5 provides

income and other selected characteristics on persons who live at or below 100% of federal poverty.

Table 5. Poverty Characteristics


Income

Percent of the population living in

poverty

15.3 14.0 11.8

Percent of children living below 100%

FPL

23.4 22.3 -

Median family income $51,586 $50,883 $57,652

Households on public assistance 2.1 2.1 -

Households receiving SNAP benefits 15.9 14.5 -

-

Food security

Percent of children eligible for

free/reduced lunch

64.6 58.0 -

Percent of people who are food

insecure

13.8 13.4 -




Number of people living in a food

desert

610,594 9,211,621 -

Percent of the population with low

food access

18.8 21.8 -

Violent Crime

Violent crime rate per 100,000 648.0 444.7 -

PERSONS LIVING AT 125% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE

Several of the data points mentioned in previous sections are provided in Table 6. Stratified by

poverty status. All data in this table are reported on persons who live at 125% of the federal

poverty guideline ($32,187 per year for a family of 4). These data were queried to demonstrate

what people who qualify for Community Action services “look” like.

Almost a quarter of women and 20% of men in Orange County live at 125% of the federal

poverty level or below. Over 30% of children in Orange County live at this income level with

their families. Thirty-two percent of Black or African American residents, 29% of Hispanic or

Latino residents, 22% of biracial residents, and 19% of White residents live at or below 125% of

federal poverty, and qualify for most services in the Community Action Division.

Almost 13% of persons living at this income level are married, 39% are female-headed

households, and almost 9% have a college degree. Though it is worth noting that all levels of

poverty decline in a graded fashion as educational attainment increases. Natural-born citizens

are less likely to live in poverty than foreign born residents and non-citizens.

Almost a third of persons with a disability live at 125% FPL or below, and 7% of persons who

work full-time, year ‘round qualify for Community Action services. Table 6 provides the specific

data on the outcomes in this section, and includes a comparison to state and national statistics.



Poverty is more prevalent in densely populated urban areas.

Here is the spread of poverty in Orange County by Census Tract

© Map Tiler © OpenStreetMap

Data Highlights

About 1 in 3 kids in Orange County

live at or below 125% FPL and less

than 17% of elders over 65 21% 24%

Almost

300,000 men

and women in

Orange

County qualify

for the FSSP

program

29% of Orange County

residents who qualify

for our services have a

job. 7.3% work full-

time, year-round

Less than HS

41%

HS or GED28%

Some college or AA21%

BA or higher

10%While more than half of the

families living in poverty in

Orange County are white,

other racial and ethnic groups

experience a disproportional

burden of poverty

Male 21%, Female 24%



Table 6. Selected Social, Economic, and Demographic Characteristics of persons below 125% FPL

Data Orange County Florida United

States

Population for whom poverty status is

determined

22.4% 20.7% 19.2%

Sex

Male 21.1% 19.3% 17.6%

Female 23.6% 22.0% 20.6%

Age

Under 18 years 30.9% 29.3% 26.3%

Related children of householder under 18

years

30.6% 29.0% 26.0%

18 to 64 years 20.4% 19.5% 17.7%

65 years and over 16.7% 15.3% 14.1%

Race and Hispanic/Latino Origin

One race 22.4% 20.6% 19.0%

White 18.9% 17.9% 16.1%

Black or African American 31.5% 32.4% 31.7%

American Indian and Alaska Native 18.3% 26.4% 33.6%

Asian 16.8% 16.3% 15.6%

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 16.2% 28.8% 24.5%

Some other race 31.8% 30.1% 32.0%

Two or more races 22.1% 24.1% 23.7%

Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 29.0% 27.1% 29.7%




States

White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 13.8% 14.7% 13.7%

Living Arrangement

In family households 20.4% 18.4% 16.9%

In married-couple family 12.6% 11.4% 9.9%

In Female householder, no husband

present households

38.6% 36.6% 38.6%

In other living arrangements 31.4% 31.3% 30.4%

Educational Attainment

Population 25 years and over 17.9% 17.3% 15.5%

Less than high school graduate 33.9% 35.9% 35.1%

High school graduate (includes

equivalency)

23.6% 21.3% 19.2%

Some college or associate's degree 17.1% 14.9% 13.8%

Bachelor's degree or higher 8.7% 8.0% 5.9%

Nativity and Citizenship

Native 21.7% 19.7% 18.5%

Foreign born 24.9% 24.7% 23.2%

Naturalized citizen 17.1% 18.5% 15.4%

Disability Status

With any disability 30.0% 27.2% 28.2%

No disability 21.5% 19.7% 17.9%

Work Status




States

Population 16 to 64 years 20.7% 19.7% 17.9%

Worked full-time, year-round 7.3% 6.3% 5.3%

Worked less than full-time, year-round 29.0% 26.5% 24.6%

Did not work 41.2% 38.6% 37.5%

HEALTH CHARACTERISTICS

As physical health and economic health are inextricably intertwined, data in the Table 7 provides

an overview of the general health characteristics that are widely accepted metrics of community

health. Income and educational attainment are also the most stable predictors of morbidity (if you

have an illness) and mortality (what did you die from). As such, poverty and health are very closely

related, and are said to have a reciprocal relationship in that being sick long-term can reduce

earning potential, and well as earning more money can purchase goods and services to support

mental and physical health.

The uninsurance rate is included in this report as a proxy for health care consumption. Persons

who have had health insurance long-term are more likely to utilize health care services. Data on

access to care are broken down by the availability of mental health, primary care, and dental health

providers proportional to the population. The more providers there are to meet the needs in a

specified geographic region, the shorter the wait times for an appointment, and the more likely

people are to seek services. While Orange County has more mental health providers per capita

than the State of Florida, Florida counties are notorious for under-funding the provision of mental

health services. HIV screening rates and late entry or no prenatal care rates are slightly worse in

Orange County than in the State of Florida. These screening and maintenance health services are

most underutilized by the poor.



Just over a quarter of adults in the state and county are consuming enough fruits and vegetables

per the nutrition guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Similarly, a quarter

of adults in the state and county report no leisure time physical activities. Table 7 contains

additional measures of health status, access, and behaviors that provide additional context.

Table 7. Health Characteristics


Insurance

Uninsured adults (%) 18.1 18.4 -

Total uninsured (% in 2017) 15.7 16.0 13.7

Access

Mental health providers per 100,000 213.0 150.1 -

Primary care providers per 100,000 95.7 79.8 -

Access to dentists per 100,000 46.3 55.8 -

Number of federally qualified health

centers per 100,000

1.6 2.2 -

Percent of adults screened for HIV 53.5 57.3 -

Percent of mothers with late or no

prenatal care

21.8 27.7 -

Climate

Percentage of days with a high heat

index

9.9 8.7 -

Health Behaviors

Percent of adults with inadequate fruit

and vegetable consumption

72.8 74.3 -

Percent of adults with no leisure time

physical activity

24.4 23.6 -




Health Status

Percent of adults with asthma 14.0 12.5 -

Percent of adults on Medicare with

depression

18.1 18.9 -

Age-adjusted death rate due to

suicide per 100,000

10 14 -

Percentage of adults who consider

their health generally poor

15.3 15.9 -

Population with HIV per 100,000 738.1 615.2 -

DATA FROM ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION CLIENTS

Data provided in the tables below detail several of the data points already discussed in this

assessment; however, these data are provided on clients who have been served by the Community

Action Division in the past 2 fiscal years. Tables 8 and 9 detail the individual characteristics of

clients who have been screened for, and who have received Community Action services. As these

data are a point in time estimate of clients, some clients in the dataset are at the end of their

program and exceed the poverty guidelines.

Greater that 50% of Community Action clients self-identify as non-Hispanic Black women. The

average age range of clients enrolled is 25-44, and 78% of their children are under 13 years of

age. More than 40% of clients have a high school diploma either at the time of enrollment or by

the time they are discharged from the program. Over 98% of our clients do not have health

insurance, and 21% report having a disability. Less than 1% of clients reported any military service.

Of clients present in the current dataset, 48% are single mothers, and 55% have non-employment

sources of income only. Among “non-employment” sources of income, SSI (Supplemental Security



Income) and Social Security Retirement were the greatest proportion. Seventy-eight percent of

out clients rent their residences, and less than 1% are homeless (39 individuals at the last data

collection period). Additional data points and raw numbers are presented in Tables 8 and 9.

Table 8. Client Individual Characteristics

Total unduplicated individuals about whom one or more characteristics were obtained: 18,564

Total unduplicated households about whom one or more characteristics were obtained: 6,329

Gender Ethnicity

Male 7,385 Hispanic/Latino 2,701

Female 11,056 Non-Hispanic/Latino 15,863

Unknown 123 Unknown 0

Age Race

0-5 2,670 American Indian/ Alaska Native 2

6-13 4,151 Asian 47

14-17 1,885 Black/ African -American 11,516

18-24 1,439 Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander 9

25-44 4,289 White 2,405

45-54 1,560 Other 3,617

55-59 726 Multi-Racial 673

60-64 599 Unknown 295

65-74 646

75+ 440

Unknown 32

Educational Attainment

Ages 14-24 Ages 25+

Grades 0-8 1,402 205

Grades 9-12 (non-grad) 348 850



High School Graduate 107 1,379

12 Grade + Post Secondary 40 523

2-4 Year College Graduate 4 165

Graduate School 0 24

Youth unemployed and not in school 9 n/a

Health Insurance Status Disability Status

Insured 275 Any Disability 3,929

Uninsured 18,289 No Disability 14,635

Work Status

Employed full-time 1,658 Unemployed (not in labor force) 1,167

Employed part-time 682 Retired 407

Migrant, seasonal farm worker 2 Unknown 58

Unemployed (short-term) 26

Unemployed (long-term) 3,290

Military Veteran

Veteran 7

Active Military 9

Table 9. Client Individual Characteristics

Total unduplicated individuals about whom one or more characteristics were obtained: 18,564

Total unduplicated households about whom one or more characteristics were obtained: 6,329

Household Type Sources of Household Income

Single person 1,445 Employment income only 200

Two adults no children 359 Employment and other 91

Single parent female 2,856 Employment, other, and non-cash 765

Sources of Household Income



Single parent male 98 Employment and non-cash 1,153

Two parent household 832 Other sources only 174

Multigenerational household 2 Other income and non-cash 2,050

Other 326 No income 250

Unknown 401 Non-cash benefits only 248

Unknown 1,398

Housing Other income sources

Own 1,154 TANF - temporary assistance 260

Rent 4,355 SSI – supplemental security income 1,602

Other permanent housing 31 SSDI – social security disability 251

Homeless 39 VA service disability 1

Other 19 VA non-service disability 29

Unknown 731

Workers Compensation 11

Household Size Social Security Retirement 1,694

Single Person 1,673 Pension 104

Two 1,337 Child Support 800

Three 1,255 Alimony 2

Four 1,042 Unemployment Insurance 112

Five 568 Other 4,715

Six or more 454

Level of Household Income* Non-cash Benefits

Up to 50% 1,700 SNAP – supplemental nutrition 4,169

51% to 75% 1,225 Affordable Care Act subsidy 2

76% to 100% 1,416 Public Housing 470

101% to 125% 1,010 HUD-VASH 1

126% to 150% 631 Childcare voucher 6



151% to 175% 144 Other 161

176% to 200% 90

201% to 250% 72

250% and over 41

*as a proportion of the federal poverty guidelines

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT OF POVERTY NEEDS AND CONDITIONS

The Division utilizes multiple data sources for its comprehensive community assessment of

poverty needs and conditions. The CNA is integrated into the strategic plan as the basis for

identifying critical issues or concerns for which long-term solutions are sought. This assessment

takes into account the breadth and depth of community needs as well as the partners and

resources available in the community to meet these needs. One data source utilized was the

comprehensive community assessment conducted by the Head Start Division in 2016, which

included a community asset mapping based on a windshield survey, as well as a parent survey.

The parent survey is relevant because it reflects customer engagement and levels of satisfaction

from residents who reside in impoverished neighborhoods. This input is invaluable as it reflects

the sentiments of the division’s participants or potential participants who meet the eligibility

criteria of 125% or less of the federal poverty guidelines. In addition, the Division utilized feedback

from community action staff, as well as the Board, also referred to herein as key informant surveys.

The CNA data was also obtained from the Community Commons Forum, which enables local data

to be integrated into customized reports, from public databases. Periodic assessment of needs

and resources at the community level is the foundation of community action and a vital

management and leadership tool that is used across the organizational network and the

community to set the course for the utilization of both the CSBG and other agency resources.

https://www.orangecountyfl.net/Portals/0/resource%20library/families%20-%20health%20-%20social%20svcs/Community%20Assessment.pdf



Customer satisfaction data and customer input, collected as part of the CNA is included in the

strategic planning process.

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT BY GEOGRAPHIC AREA SERVED

DISTRESSED COMMUNITY INDEX

The Distressed Communities Index (DCI) combines seven complementary economic indicators

into a single holistic and comparative measure of community well-being. The index is

constructed from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates and

Business Patterns datasets.

The seven-component metrics of the DCI are:

1. No high school diploma: Percent of the 25+ population without a high school diploma

or equivalent

2. Housing vacancy rate: Percent of habitable housing that is unoccupied, excluding

properties that are for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use

3. Adults not working: Percent of the prime-age population (25-64) not currently in work

4. Poverty rate: Percent of the population living under the poverty line

5. Median income ratio: Median household income as a percent of the state’s median

household income (to account for cost of living differences across states)

6. Change in employment: Percent change in the number of jobs

7. Change in establishments: Percent change in the number of business establishments

Each component is weighted equally in the index, which itself is calculated by ranking

communities on each of the seven metrics, taking the average of those ranks, and then

normalizing the average to be equivalent to a percentile. Distress scores range from



approaching zero to 100.0, such that the zip code with the average rank of 12,500 out of 25,000

will register a distress score of 50.0. Communities are then grouped into quintiles, or fifths. The

best-performing quintile is considered “prosperous,” the second-best “comfortable,” the third

“mid-tier,” the fourth “at risk,” and the fifth, or worst-performing, “distressed.”

The Distressed Communities Index (DCI) is based on data from the American Community Survey

(five-year estimates 2012-2016). Distress scores are calculated at the zip code, city, and county

and congressional district levels. They are calculated based on geography's rank on each of the

seven equally weighted variables. The ranks are then averaged and normalized to be equivalent

to percentiles, resulting in the distress score — the higher the score, the greater the economic

distress.

Community action outreach offices are geographically dispersed in low-resourced neighborhoods

throughout the County and provide case management services to income-qualified individuals.

The administration center, which is also an outreach office, is centrally located in the heart of the

County. All centers have experienced some economic distress improvements since the last needs

assessment that was conducted.

Analysis of zip code data obtained from the DCI indicates that neighborhoods targeted with

community action centers are considered to be in a higher level of distress than the County as a

whole, demonstrating that resources are allocated in areas where they can presumably have the

most impact. The lone exception to an area being in less distress than the County as a whole is

Maxey Community Center, where adjoining suburban residential areas in the same zip code are

believed to skew the data.

Significant observations regarding economic distress metrics include:

• The neighborhood registering the highest level of distress was Holden Heights at 91.8

compared to 19.1% for the County as a whole.

• The Hal P. Marston area had the second highest distressed score which was 83.6



• Overall each of the centers, with the exception of Maxey and Taft, had distress levels

at least twice as high as the County. Again, it appears that Maxey's numbers were not

representative due to its inclusion with a more affluent nearby suburban area. Taft’s

index was almost twice that of the county.

Figure 1 is a map of all Community Action center locations, Tables 10 and 11 present the DCI

reports for the most recent data year (2012-2016), and the data period that immediately

preceded this assessment (2007-2011)

Figure 1. Community Action Community Centers



Distressed Communities Index by Orange County Community Center Locations

Table 10. Distressed Communities Index, 2012-2016

Distress tier DCI

score

State distress

rank (920)

Population Minority

pop.

No HS Vacant

Housing

Adults

no work

Poverty

rate

Med. Inc.

ratio

Employ.

change

Business

change

Orange

County

Prosperous 19.1 51/63 1,256,060 57.3% 12.3% 8.7% 25.2% 17.3% 101.0% 13.4% 13.0%

Bithlo Comfortable 39.4 542 9,420 46.7% 15.0% 8.4% 22.7% 13.6% 127.3% 1.2% 10.2%

East

Orange

Mid-tier 42.0 512 35,210 42.7% 10.9% 6.4% 27% 23.9% 87.9% 12.4% 19.6%

Hal

Marston

Distressed 83.6 126 51,510 86.1% 22.7% 11.9% 31.1% 29.2% 66.3% 2.5% 7.9%

Holden

Heights

Distressed 91.8 53 22,100 89% 25.4% 13.8% 41.2% 25.1% 48.6% -2.0% 9.7%

John

Bridges

Mid-tier 48.8 444 49,220 53.3% 15.2% 9.3% 27.8% 20.7% 94.6% 19.7% 10.2%

Maxey At Risk 11.5 247 39,750 80.6% 15.1% 9.2% 23.3% 12.6% 66.4% 21.1% 22.9%

Pine Hills At Risk 63.5 312 51,820 87.3% 18.6% 6.4% 24.3% 20.2% 85.7% -5.5% 6.2%

Taft At Risk 33.0 247 39,750 80.6% 15.1% 9.2% 23.3% 26.2% 66.4% 2.8% 4.4%



Table 11. Distressed Communities Index, 2007-2011

Distress tier DCI

score

State distress

rank (920)

Population Minority

pop.

No HS Vacant

Housing

Adults no

work

Poverty Med. Inc.

ratio

Employ.

change

Business

change

Orange

County

Comfortable 35.9 58/63 1,133,090 53.6% 13.1% 12.0% 25.4% 14.9% 104.0% -4.7% -5.2%

Bithlo At Risk 61.7 462 7,970 43.0% 11.7% 8.9% 26.4% 11.8% 132.5% -36.9% -18.5%

East

Orange

Distressed 82.5 234 25,410 40.6% 12.6% 13.7% 30.6% 20.9% 86.3% -25.0% -7.5%

Hal

Marston

Distressed 93.4 82 50,870 86.3% 24.0% 17.9% 29.2% 25.3% 75.9% -13.7% -11.7%

Holden

Heights

Distressed 80.8 251 38,000 81.7% 18.6% 17.3% 25.2% 21.4% 73.6% -5.3% -9.1%

John

Bridges

At Risk 74.1 333 44,480 49.4% 17.6% 11.5% 25.6% 13.5% 100.1% -25.7% -11.8%

Maxey Prosperous 6.6 901 12,750 25.2% 4.7% 6.6% 25.6% 7.8% 145.5% 8.3% 7.2%

Pine Hills At Risk 75.3 322 45,840 81.0% 17.5% 9.2% 26.7% 16.2% 91.2% -16.0% -13.5%

Taft Distressed 83.8 211 25,440 65.4% 22.1% 10.9% 27.3% 22.1% 81.1% -17.6% -7.8%


Orange County Community

Action

Page 35 of 41

High School Degree

• Four of the seven communities measured had rates of "no high school degree" higher

than the County, with Holden Heights being the highest at twice the rate of the County.

Pine Hills, Hal Marston, John Bridges, and Taft all had high rates of non-graduates.

• East Orange was lower than the County average.

• The three highest centers in lack of high school diplomas are also the areas targeted

by on-site GED programs sponsored by the Division and Orange County Public Schools

(“OCPS”).

Housing Vacancy

• The County has a housing vacancy rate of 8.7%

• East Orange and Pine Hills are the only center areas with a housing vacancy rate below

that of the county

• Holden Heights has the highest housing vacancy rate

Adults Not Working

• One-quarter of the County’s adults aged 16 and over are not working.

• With the exception of Maxey and Taft, all other centers are located in areas with higher

unemployment rates.

Median Income Ratio Relative to the State

• At 101%, Orange County’s median income mirrors that of the state. John Bridges is the

only community that comes close at 94.6%.

• Holden Heights has by far the lowest median income ratio at 48.6%.



Change in Business Establishments

• The County experienced a 5.7% growth in business establishments between 2010 and

2013.

• Four of the targeted neighborhoods had a slower growth.

• Pine Hills/Marston (-1.7%) and Holden Heights (-1.7%) had a negative growth while

East Orange had zero growth.

Analysis

• The Holden Heights neighborhood ranks first or second on each of seven indicators

contained in the Distressed Community Index. Holden Heights also had the lowest

employment growth and the second-lowest new business growth. At a distressed

score of 91.8, Holden Heights ranks among the most distressed communities in the

nation.

• Close behind Holden Heights is the Hal Marston community center area, which has the

second-highest high school drop-out rate, the highest housing vacancy rate, second-

highest poverty rate and the second-lowest income ratio in the County. The Marston

area also has the lowest rate of change in business establishments.

• In summary, the County is roughly comparable to the nation as a whole on the seven

indicators of the DCI. It has targeted areas for services by community centers which

are spread out geographically around the County and which appear to be significantly

more distressed than the County as a whole. This does not consider other distressed

areas within the County that could benefit from more services as well.



NEEDS AND SERVICES

UNITED WAY 211 DATA

Data for the period of September 20, 2015 through September 18, 2016, was obtained from Heart

of Florida United Way 211. United Way 211 operates a telephone helpline for social services needs

covering the Central Florida area.

Information from 211 indicates that housing and shelter was the number-one requested service,

far outstripping the other issues at 45.5% of requests. The breakdown of the housing and shelter

category reveals that 25.6% of those requests were for shelters, indicating the continued

seriousness of the homeless problem in Central Florida. 49.3% of housing requests were for rental

assistance for those still housed. Low-cost housing referrals were requested by 23% of callers,

while home repair and maintenance made up just 1.4% of calls. Less than one percent of housing

calls concerned landlord/tenant disputes and mortgage assistance. The second-most requested

service from 211 was utility assistance at 18.8%. This interest is certainly reflected in the popularity

of the LIHEAP program operated by the Division.

After housing and utilities, percentages of requests drop off into the single digits for a number of

issues such as food (7.8%), healthcare (5.7%), employment and income (4.8%), mental health and

addictions (4.4%), legal services (2.5%), clothing and household (1.9%), and transportation (1%).

Education, disaster assistance and child care/parenting issues were less than one percent each

and 5% of requests were for "other". The full report is included as Appendix VI.

COMMUNITY INPUT

KEY STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS

Key Stakeholders interviews are to be conducted with a variety of community leaders, clergy,

community partners and citizens.



Biggest Areas of Need to Reduce Poverty

Among the biggest areas of need identified were: jobs with sustainable wages and benefits,

accessibility to more affordable housing, and accessible and affordable childcare. Several

stakeholders and partners also emphasized a need for healthcare services, particularly mental

health services; drug rehab programs; comprehensive financial literacy; soft-skills training; and

functional transportation as large gaps in services to address poverty in Orange County.

Board members also acknowledged the challenges that Orange County residents have in

conveniently accessing social and educational services. Stakeholders highlighted that getting out

of poverty ofter requires overcoming insurmountable temporal barriers –such as transportation -

particularly when help is not always centralized.

Partners suggested that reducing gaps in knowledge by helping the community to better

understand Community Action and other social service programs is a solution that would not

require additional programming.

What can Community Action do to improve conditions in which people live?

Key informants offered several recommendations for ways the division may directly or indirectly

improve the conditions in which people live. Partners believe that the Division should:

Coordinate more intentionally with anti-poverty partners and inter-county divisions

Provide housing and housing support in the form of rent assistance

Provide direct mental health services including offering programs specifically designed to

improve self-esteem and self-efficacy for individuals with low-incomes

Leverage incentives for families with low-income to complete our case management

program

Offer programs and services at times and locations more convenient to families with low-

income.

Implement clean-up programs and education on recycling



Work more closely with community advisory boards to hear from citizens

Expand program eligibility requirements to include families who are above 125% of

poverty as this is still not a living wage

Conduct home visits to provide more comprehensive case management services

Conduct more outreach activities to be better integrated into the community

What is working well to reduce or eliminate poverty in our community?

Key informants believer that the following programs and services are working well to eliminate

poverty in Orange County:

Funding education and training through the Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSSP)

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)

Offering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application services in the

centers

Providing Seniors First programming in the centers

Providing First Time Homebuyers classes and housing education in the centers

Collaborating with community partners

Hosting school supply and food drives

Having a Boys and Girls Club on or adjacent to Community Action centers

General community center events and services

What types of services should added?

Several stakeholders believer that the Division is doing a “good job” and should continue to

strengthen and improve existing services. Nonetheless, and similar to last assessment period, key

stakeholders believe that Community Action should focus more on affordable housing and

homelessness. Additionally, partners and board members believe that the Division should create

interventions for or work more on:



Partnering to create affordable housing and providing rental assistance

Making health services more available to the poor and underserved

Mental health services and specific programs for suicide prevention

Programs and services for the elderly and disabled

Programming for youth

Mentorship, soft-skills training, and job preparedness programs

Hiring job placement specialists, legal aid specialists, and housing specialists

Programs that address generational poverty

What is the perception of how providers work together to serve low-income families?

Similar to the last assessment period, this questions generated a wide variety of responses. Several

key informants believe that providers in the area are working well together to serve low-income

communities, several do not, but all partners agree that there is room for growth. Key informants

who did not believe that partnerships are working effectively cited limited opportunities to partner

based on individual program goals. Stakeholders believe that partners are siloed based on their

funding and their specific program goals, and that there is a lack of comprehensive referral

services.

The vast majority of partners and board members believed that no matter how the current

partnerships are working, we do not have enough partners and varied enough services to meet

the current needs of families with low-incomes.

STRATEGIC PLAN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ANALYSIS

Borne out of the previous Community Needs Assessment process, the strategic plan and internal

analysis for 2015 to 2020 and is included as an appendix. In 2020 as a result of this Community

Needs Assessment process, the Community Action Division will create a new strategic plan to

address the causes and consequences of poverty identified in this document.



APPENDICES

Appendix I Community Commons Data

Appendix II Strategic Plan

Appendix III List of Community Partnerships

Appendix IV Housing and Community Development Division Needs Assessment

Appendix V Head Start Division Community Needs Assessment

Appendix VI United Way 211 data

Documents

Orange County Community Action Division Svc… · management, employment counseling, and provision of tuition and financial support to assist individuals in attending vocational education